Shoe having a rear opening



y 5 R. 0. SMITH 3,192,651

SHOE HAVING A REAR OPENING Filed D66. 16, 1963 United States Patent 3,192,651 SHOE HAVING A REAR OPENING- 7 Robert D. Smith, 2742 E. Tremont Ave., Bronx, N.Y.

This invention relates generally to shoes.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a shoe having self-contained means to prevent wrinkling thereof.

It is generally well known that in time shoes develop transversely extending wrinkles across the upper side thereof which makes an unsightly and worn appearance to the shoe. Accordingly, it is another object of the present invention to provide a shoe having self-contained means on the upper portion to prevent formation of the transversely extending wrinkles.

Another object is to provide a shoe having nonwrinkle means thus allowing the shoe to maintain a shine in the areas which would otherwise be dulled due to wrinkle formations.

Still another object is to provide a shoe having means so that the shoe may be easily put on the foot of a wearer.

A still further object is to provide a shoe which need not be laced when put on the foot, nor unlaced when taken off the foot, thereby preventing wear on the lace, and thus allowing the lace a longer life.

Yet another object is to provide a shoe that will fit the foot in an improved manner and give more comfort, in view that the lacing remains unchanged and the shoe thus maintains a constantly same fit.

Yet another object is to provide a shoe ofiering a new trend in style.

Other objects are to provide a shoe that is novel in design, rugged in construction, and convenient to wear.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a rear perspective view of a shoe incorporating the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary similar view shown in an alternate position.

FIGURE 3 is a rear perspective view of a modified form of the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary plan view thereof in an alternate position.

FIGURES 5 and 6 are cross sectional views taken on lines 55 and 6-6 respectively of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 7 is a view showing the stiffening element for the toe portion of the shoe.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the numeral 10 represents a shoe according to the present invention wherein there is a sole 11, a heel 12 and an upper 13 made from leather or the like and having a liner or other conventional shoe structure on the inner side of the leather. Between the layers 14 and 15, there is, in the present invention, a stiffening element 16 which is of generally one-half hemispherical configuration to fit over the forward portion 17 and upper area of the upper 13. This stiffening element is made preferably from a stiff plasticized fabric material such as is known under the term Micarta. It extends suficiently rearward to bridge the area where transverse wrinkles would normally form across the upper due to walking action.

, 3,192,651 Patented July 6, 1965 At the rear of the upper there is an opening 18 to 7 permit entry of a wearers foot into the shoe without need of loosening the how 19 of shoelace 20. A flap 21 attached along its lower edge to the shoe, fits within the opening so to provide a comfortable continuation of the contour of the inner surface of the shoe. A strap 22 is attached by thread 23 at one end, and the opposite end of the strap is provided with holes 24 for engagement with a buckle 25; the strap fits around the outer side of the flap and retains the flap in position against a wearers heel.

In a modified construction shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 the shoe 30 has a rear opening 31, and flap 32 (attached along its lower edge to the shoe) has at each lateral side a pair of side tabs 33 each of which has a snap fastener element 34 engageable with corresponding snap fastener elements'35 on the shoe upper 36. It is to be noted that the flap 32 is offset relative to the tabs so as to fit within opening 31 while the tabs are adjacent the outside of the upper, thereby providing a continuous contour of the shoe inner surface around the heel portion of the upper. The offset in the tabs can be accomplished by pressing the material so to normally assume this shape or the tabs can be separate elements from the flap and the tabs be stitched to the flap by overlapping an adjacent edge of each and sewing them together in this position. As shown in FIGURE 1, the shoe has a con-- ventional upper opening 37 for the purpose of a persons foot gaining access into the shoe. When the flap 33 is lowered by pivoting about its lower edge stitched to the heel of the shoe (the stitch not being shown in the drawing) the rear opening communicates with the upper opening (as is shown in FIGURES 2 and 3), thereby producing a combined larger singular opening which will more easily and conveniently allow admittance of a foot and thus prevent wrinkling of the upper caused by struggle to admit the foot. A strap 38 is mounted on the outer side of the upper between each vertical edge of the rear opening and one of the snap fastener elements, and each tab is inserted therethrough prior to snap fastening engagement.

In operative use the wearer simply inserts his foot into the shoe by keeping the back open, after which he raises and secures the flap to close the rear opening.

While various changes may be made, it is understood such changes will be in the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus set forth my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In a shoe the combination of a sole, a heel and an upper, said upper having an upper opening for protrusion of a leg of a foot contained within said shoe, said upper having a rear opening communicating with said upper opening, a flap hinged along a lower edge to said heel forming a hinged closure for selectively closing said rear opening, said flap having a central portion that fits within said rear opening to form a continuously even wall on the inner side of said upper, said flap having an offset tab at each lateral side, each of said offset tabs being rearwardly offset respective to said flap for placement against the outer sides of said upper, a looped strap aflixed on the outer side of said upper adjacent each vertical edge of said rear opening to receive one of each of said tabs therethrough, a snap fastener element on each 3 of said tabs mounted on a portion of said tab received through said strap, and a corresponding snap fastener element on the outer side of said upper adjacent each of said straps for engagement with said tap snap fastener elements.

1,617,462 2/27 Schamberg 365O X 1/31 Bullock 36-50 10 Bullock 36-50 Thormann 365O Gogerty 3650 X Hunting et a1. 36-77 Owings 367.3

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

FRANK J. COHEN, Examiner. 

